The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-05-19
DEAR MOTHERS GROWING OLD.


In writing rouLd and buld:
A world Of ideas do they frame
Dear mothers growing DID,
seem to see her old armchair,
And 'croee the floor It's rolled:
And picture her as sitting there
Dear mothers growing old"
The hair that once ehone DER her brow
With hue of beaten gold
1s getting white ae driven SHOW
Dear mothers growing DID,
Her eyes they tell OF weary days
And lines OF care have hold:
They say 70 me in many ways
"Dear mothers growing old"
Her feeble strength and wavering hand
Ca" scarce her work unfold;
And ae che braidr she ekips . strand-
Dear mothers growing DID,
I'm far from her on foreign sea
Ard by its blue waves lolled,
Those words indeed are sad to me-
''Dear mothers growing old"
TREES WITH CORN IN THE WEST.
Some Of the finest groves Of green
ash. box elder, soft maple, black wild
cherry, honey locust, coffee nut, etc..
in the West have been started with
comparatively little labor or expense
in this way. As an example Of the pos
sible, friend in Dakota started ten
acre of grove ash and box elders four
years ago, as follows: The seeds were
kept in the usual way, under cover of
some straw on hard walk during
the Winter. At the time for early
corn planting the ground was marked
out one way four feet apart, with
rows running North and South, and
two hands started out to plant it, one
with the sack Of Yankee corn, the other
with the forest tree seeds.
The corn was planted in the rows
three feet apart. and from three to five
seeds Of the ash, or box elder. were
planted on the North side Of the corn
hills, about six inches distant. As the
cultivating was all one way the hills
We're kept clear of weeds by hoeing
while the plants were starting. And
later the culture was with two horse
culti:ator. as is usual in the corn-fields
at the West. During the Winter the
corn-stalks were left on the ground to
hold the snow and protect the young
seedlings from the direct rays Of the
sun to some extent. In the Spring the
strongest plant was left in each hill,
and the others pulled up for setting
in vacant places. or to give away. The
next season the culture was with two
horse cultiyator. run over shallow. SO
as not to disturb the side roots. The
third season the culture was kept up
with large, three-shoveled cultivatOr,
sold by a Moline company. Some
weeds grew after this between the rows,
but not enough to interfere with the
growth of the plants.
This plan will apply to most tree
seeds, with such notifications in time
of planting as should occur to all who
have given tree seeds any thought or
care. As instances. ash. box elder,
walnut, butternut. oak, honey locust
and black wild cherry seeds should b.
put in as early as it will do to plant
Yankee corn, which. with prime seed
can be done most years in April Or
the other hand. the seed OF Catalps
should be held for late corn planting
as when put in early they are sure t
rot. We will add that ease and cheap
ness in grove-starting from seed is no
the only gain. The forest tree stand
ing where it first sent down its tai
root from the seed will endure Summe
drouth and Winters cold that ma,
permanently weaken. if not kill, til,
transplanted tree. This is especial,
true on the Western and Northwestern
prairies, on account Of our liability t,
long, continued aridity of air and sol
at the very time when the transplante,
tree has its roots too near the surface
Professor Budd in Prairie Farmer.
WHEAT CULTURE.
Professor f. G. Morrow of the III
inois University reports his examination
of a large field of wheat near Clinton
Ill, which had been carefully drilled il
well prepared fertile prairie soil. A
first glance it was seen that much Of tn
wheat was dead. A little closer obser
walton showed that the injury wa
mainly confined to the alternate drill
rows. except that two rows in goot
condition were found at distances equa
- he width ii tie drill Near tn,
somewhat neglected hedge all the wheat
Was IN fairly good condition. Inquiry
of the owner led to the information
that the drill tubes were in two ranks
ch h,
rows injured had been planted by tie
first rank of drill tubes, and that the
earth thrown to the sides by the second
row Of drill tubes or hoes had filled the
hollows left by the forward tubes. The
drill wheel had run over the outer drill
row as the drill recrossed the field.
One suggestion as the cause Of injury
was that the seed had been too deeply
covered, but the fact that little or nc
injury was noticed near the hedge
seemed to make this unsatisfactory.
The only plausible explanation offered
was that the depressions left by the
alternate drill tubes had been filled with
snow or ice at time when freezing
and thawing had killed much of the
wheat in the rows which had been filled
to the level Of the general surface.
1t seemed a strong argument in favor
Of the benefit Of drilling wheat and Of
having the drill tubes in one line, sc
that the action Of one may not fill the
depression made by another.
CONDITIONS FOR GROWING GOOD CORN
Warmth, both of soil and air, is thu
necessary requisite for successful corr
growing. This cereals better adapted
to overhot American Summers than K
any other part ofthe world. Whatever
helps to make the soil warm is helpful
to corn. and the fermentation of ricl
manure. or of clover sod. both owe ,
part of their benefit to this crop to tn,
warmth which they furnish. The NOR